Our 2020 Golf Season Will Be Different!

Hello Members,

Our golf course is expected to open within the next few weeks. It looks like most of us did our part this past Mother’s Day weekend to continue the favorable trends in stemming the spread of Covid19 here in Ontario. Our course is in tremendous shape thanks to the hard work of Paul Wilson and his skeleton crew. With our planned opening only weeks away, Napanee Golf and Country Club (NDGCC) will be fully engaged in all Covid19 protocols. We will have many notices around the course to help keep you informed. Our number one goal is to keep golfers, staff & the general community safe.

To help prepare everyone for their first round of golf at NDGCC, the following are some of the protocols we will be enforcing over the next few months:

PLEASE NOTE: Social distancing is now defined as 2 METERS from other individuals not living at the same residence. This includes when you are in a power cart. Park at least 2 meters from other carts. In the car park please try to use every second stall. Whenever possible, do not park in a stall directly next to another vehicle, whether there is a person at that vehicle or not.

Do not come down to the course to “check things out”. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled tee time and depart as soon as your round is completed in order to keep others safe.

Who should be playing golf now that the course will reopen?

If you show or feel any symptoms of Covid19, please stay home.

If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive or is suspected to have the virus, please stay home.

It appears this virus has a higher risk for those with certain pre-existing conditions. If you are in a higher risk group, please consider staying home.

If you are uncomfortable being out in public and or exposed to other people, please consider staying home.

If you are healthy, able to follow Covid19 protocols and manage proper social distancing. Please come and enjoy some golf.

So, what will open and what will be closed?

The clubhouse will remain closed for food and beverage service at this time. Plans are being made to offer food and beverage takeout. Stay tuned for a further update.

The pro shop will be open on a limited basis for golf essential purchases, ONE to TWO persons at time only. Scorecards and pencils will be available at the pro shop window

Entering the pro shop to make a tee time is not currently acceptable, phone or online only please.

The clubhouse washrooms will be open, ONE person at a time only.

The putting green and warm up net will be open at this time; however, we cannot afford to have groups hanging around the patio or congregating around the putting green.

Club storage will not be available at this time.

Club pull carts will not be available.

The club rooms will remain closed.

The club handicap computer will not be available.

How will tee time bookings & pairings work?

Tee times will run every 12 minutes with bookings either online or over the phone. We expect a big rush when we are open so please be patient, we only have one phone line. We will not be accepting season long repeating tee time bookings.

Groups of 4 players will be allowed. We will see how that goes, if necessary, adjustments will be made.

What is happening with events, club activities and handicaps?

Club activities (Men’s, Ladies, Mixed) Leagues may be canceled or tee times modified. Obviously, there will be no gatherings. We are recommending pairing in groups of the same household or at least the same players as much as possible. All players will be responsible for arranging their own tee times within pairing recommendations.

Posting of scores for handicap purposes is currently on hold. Until then you will continue to use the handicap you finished last season with. Let us just get outside and enjoy some golf.

What are the modifications to the course and playing rules?

All play will be with the flags tick in (mandatory). We will use a donut in the hole opposed to raising the cup.

The practice net will be open but use your own ball while also social distancing.

The practice green will be open with two non-removable pins and limited to two players per green to insure social distancing.

No rakes on the course. You may Lift, Foot Rake & Place.

No ball washers. Please wet a towel before arriving.

No garbage cans. Please be prepared to pack out what you pack in.

Drinking water will not be available in the clubhouse, please remember to bring water with you.

Be sure to stay no closer than one shot behind the group in front of you. No playing through the group in front, sorry.

There can only be 1 rider in each power cart (unless the same household), private or course owned. No giving rides or dragging another bag behind your cart.

Following your round, a tip of the cap will replace the customary handshake. Please no high fives while playing your round.

Do not hang around the car park upon completion of your round.

What are the plans going forward?

Currently with this situation it seems best to just take the next step when it feels appropriate.

We are excited to reopen the course and for member play to resume. As we move forward, we feel the next step will become apparent. Let us hope our steps continue in a forward motion.

Obviously, we would like to welcome all golfers to NGCC. We want to be hosting the member sections for league play. We want events such as outside tournaments and event nights to resume……and so on and so on We know all these things will happen in time. So, when that next move becomes appropriate, we will take that next step.

All things Covid19 are still moving at a rapid pace. We are dealing with an “Emerging Novel Corona Virus”. Emerging speaks to the fact we are gaining new information on this virus daily as it continues to emerge. Novel speaks to the fact that this is a new virus. Every time a person, business or government makes a decision, develops a policy or procedure, it is their first try at it. As such, we have found you simply cannot plan too far ahead. That is all we can really say at this moment.

In closing.

Do not kid yourself, this is not business as usual. Once we are open, we can expect a visit from health officials. What the officials will be looking for was that social distancing measures are in place, being managed properly and were being adhered to. They will surely visit courses as they reopen over the next few weeks.

We ask that you do not hang around the clubhouse or parking lot before or after your round! Please show up no earlier than 15 minutes before your tee time. Play your game of golf, enjoy it, revel in it and once completed make your way off the property immediately. We realize golf and belonging to a club is a social activity but unfortunately right now, all we can offer is the golf course and the game itself.

All these measures are in place for your safety, the safety of the staff, our community at large and so we are deemed compliant when the time comes. Do your part during these strange times! If an individual is found to be in breach of the set forth Covid19 protocols, they will lose their playing privileges for as long as Covid19 protocols remain in place.

Please be aware and prepared that everything in this letter could change in an instance. That is just our current reality.